Latch



Nov. 10, 1931.

w. D. FERRIS 1,830,786

LATCH Fil ed Dec. 50, 1929 ZkTW/Ls Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE WILLIAM L. FERRIS, or STERLING, ILLINOIS, Ass reivoa rornnn'rz MAN rAorU tmG f 00., or STERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPQRATIQN or InoIs LATCH Application filed December 30, 1929. Serial No. 417,295. M

This invention relates to gate or door latches, or latches for otherswinging closures. I

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved construction whereby a pivoted latch member is provided, on thestationary frame adjacent said door or gate or other closure, havingmeans for the manual operation thereof, to unlatch the gate or door orother closure, and having in addition means for automatically forcingthe door or gate or other closure open a distance, when the latch isactuated into unlatching position.

To the foregoing and other usefulends, the invention consists in thematters hereinafter set forth and claimed, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of go a gate and gateway,showing a latch there for embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, showing the latch in a different position.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a gate or door or otherclosure 1, and a frame or stationary structure 2 that forms the gatewayor the doorway, adjacent the opposite sides of the door or gate or otherclosure.

A rigid strike piece 3 is fastened by screws 4 to the gate or door orother closure, and is provided with a handle 5 for pulling the gate ordoor or other closure open. The pivoted latch member 6 is pivoted on abracket- 7 secured to the edge of the stationary structure 2, wherebythis latch member has a pivotal movement in a vertical plane disposed atright angles to the plane of the gate or door or other closure. Saidlatch member is provided with a hook-shaped portion 8 for engagementwith the strike piece 3, and with a handle 9 at its other end for themanual operation of the latch. The said pivoted latch member is alsoprovided with a cam portion 10 for engagement with the lower edge of thestrike piece 3, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In use, when the gate or door or other closure is moved into closedposition, the upper edge of the strike piece 3 engages the bevel 11 ofthe portion 8 and forces the latter upward, about the pivot screw 12,which serves as the pivot for the fulcrumed latch member. The latchmember is heavier at its I engaging end, as shown, and hence it moves '0by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, when thegate or door or other closure is moved into fully closed position.

The portion 8 can be raised by hand, from 5 one side of the gate or dooror other closure, and the closure can then be pulled open by means ofthe handle 5, in a manner that will be readily understood. On the otherhand, I from the other side of the gate or door or other closure, thehandle 9 can be depressed or pushed downward to disengage the portion 8from the strike piece 3, and this will cause the cam 10 to engage thestrike piece 3, pushing the latter outwardly, and thus eifecting theinitial opening movement of the door or gate or other closure.

It will be seen that the pivoted latch member 6 is disposed in a planeat right angles to the plane of the door or gate, as previously stated,whereas the strike piece 3 is in a plane parallel with the plane of thedoor or gate, in the manner shown.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a latch for a closure set in a stationary structure, the combinationof a strike piece rigidly secured to the" closure, adapted to overlapand engage the stationary structure and serve as a stop to limit theclosing movement of the closure, a movable latch member "to pivoted onthe stationary structure adjacent said closure, in a vertical planedisposed at an angle to the plane of the closure, said pivoted latchmember having a gravitylatching v portion adapted to be pushed upward bythe as strike piece and to then drop down into closed or latchingposition, a handle operable downward for operating said pivoted latchmember into open position, said handle and strike piece being atopposite sides ofthe closure, 1 00 and a cam carried by said pivotedlatch member and extending under the strike piece, when the closure isin closed position, adapted when raised to engage the lower edge of saidstrike piece to push the closure partially open, when the latch memberis moved into unlatching position by downward pressure on said handle.

Specification signed this 21st day of De- 7' '7 'c'einber,1929-. v r

'WILLIAM n. FERRIS.

